December 7, 2015

Alisa Altman Peeples
NAHUNTA — Alisa Altman Peeples, 53, of Nahunta, passed away early Friday morning (Dec. 4, 2015) at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla., following a brief illness.
Born in Folkston, she was the daughter of the late James Troy Altman Jr. and Marvine Lewis Altman, of Nahunta. She was also preceded in death by her father-in-law, Marvin Peeples, and a brother-in-law, Jeff Peeples.
She was a beautiful, devoted and loving wife and mother. She graduated from Brantley County High School in 1980 and loved gardening, photography, socializing and reaching out to the least. She always had a smile and a kind word on her lips and will be missed by all that knew her. She was a member of Nahunta Church of God.
Survivors include her husband of 31 years, Brian Peeples, of Nahunta; a son, Collin Peeples, of Nahunta; her mother, Marvine Lewis Altman, of Nahunta; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Anita and Robert Thomas and Arlene and David Thomas, all of Hoboken; nieces and nephews, Liza Taylor (Buck), of Winston Salem, N.C., R.J. Thomas, of Augusta, Alana and Emily Peeples, of Nahunta, Leah Peeples, of Nahunta, Cassie and Hannah Peeples, of Las Vegas, Nev.; brother-in-law, Mike and Tammy Peeples, of Nahunta; her mother-in-law, Jean Esther Ward, of Nahunta; several aunts, uncles and other relatives.
Visitation will be held this evening starting at 6 o’clock at Frye Funeral Home, Nahunta.
The funeral will be Tuesday morning at 11 o’clock at Southside Baptist Church in Nahunta with the Rev. Charles Florey, the Rev. Jerry Johns and Brother Larry Wainright officiating.
Pallbearers will be David Thomas, Robert Thomas, Alton Mosley, James Allen, Jamie Cleland, Marc Herrin, Brian Herrin and Dylan Middleton.
Honorary pallbearers will be Brantley County High School class of 1980 classmates. They are asked to meet at the church Tuesday morning by 10:30.
Burial will follow in Rob Lewis Cemetery.
Arrangements are with Frye Funeral Home, Nahunta.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online registry at fryefh.com

Lonnie ‘Roy’ Thrift
Lonnie Elroy “Roy” Thrift (who was also known by the nickname “Rawhide”), 74, died Saturday afternoon (Dec. 5, 2015) at Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross following a brief illness.
He was a native of Waycross but lived most of his life in Brantley County. He was preceded in death by his wife of 34 years, Barbara Moore Thrift, in March of this year, his parents, William Wilson Thrift and Mary Candacie Guy Thrift, a daughter, Tammy Ketchem, and a brother, William David Thrift.
He was a graduate of Hoboken High School and a member of Waycross Masonic Lodge No. 305 F&AM. He loved fishing and had been a big coon hunter in his earlier years. He retired as a carman with CSX Transportation with 42 years of service.
He was a member of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, the Adult Men’s Sunday School Class, had served on many committees and loved singing in the church choir.
Survivors include his children, Tina Dykes (husband, Walt), of Atkinson, Danny Thrift, of Hortense, Michelle Link (husband, Jason), of Waycross, Tina Shugart Kerr (husband, Bill), of Jacksonville, Fla., and Terri Fletcher, of Waycross; 11 grandchildren: Jessica Ciarimboli (husband, Jeffrey), Jeremy Joiner (wife, Jennifer), Kevin Ketchem (wife, Stacey), Jason Ketchem, Heather Harrell (husband, Corey), Alex Fletcher (wife, Lindsay), Jamey Fletcher, Dylan Dykes (wife, Tammy), Devin Dykes (wife, Cecilia), Brittini Price and Lexi Price; 15 great-grandchildren; his mother and father-in-law, Tommy and Zonie Lee Vaughan, of Blackshear; numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association, Valdosta Chapter, 3338-L Country Club Road, PMB 305, Valdosta, Ga. 31605, or to Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, 7136 Central Ave., Waycross, Ga. 31503.
A funeral will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 1 until 2 p.m. Tuesday at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online registry at www.musicfunerahome.com
Music Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Joann Moses Gunn
Joann Moses Gunn died Thursday (Dec. 3, 2015) when the Lord dispatched an angel to a home in Waycross to cradle her into everlasting life.
She is missed but loved beyond earthly boundaries by her beloved husband, Deacon Calvin Gunn Sr.; sons, Donald (Sharon) Lowd, the Revs. Calvin (Glenda) Gunn Jr.; daughter, Joann Gunn (Floyd) Walker; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
The funeral will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, 417 Wilkerson St., Waycross, where the Rev. Walter M. Scott Jr. is the pastor.
The body will lie in repose in the church from noon until the service hour.
By request, her church viewing will only be from noon until 1 p.m. Burial and committal service will follow in Hazzard Hill Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friends are also being received at the family residence, 1209 Reynolds St., Waycross.
Professional services are entrusted to Perry Brothers Funeral Home, 1100 Ossie Davis Parkway, Waycross.

Edna Metts Tucker
Edna Metts Tucker, 96, passed away peacefully at Baptist Village Retirement Center Friday (Dec. 4, 2015).
She was born in Atkinson County Sept. 28, 1919, the daughter of the late Raiford and Mattie Metts. She was a graduate of Willacoochee High School. Because she especially valued learning and education, she was always involved in the school activities of her five children.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Russell Tucker, a son, John Denzel and his wife, Shirley, a grandson, Jeff Tucker, a son-in-law, Niles Nagel, two sisters, Cecile Metts Smith and Mary Metts, and three brothers, Hubert, Everett and Venton Metts.
The survivors include four daughters, Linda Wilson (husband, Charles), of Douglasville, Carole Mullis (husband, Morris), of Waycross, Diane Hough (husband, Audie), of Coleman, and Laverne Martin (husband, Larry), of Madison, Fla.; 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren; one sister, Maxie Metts Harper, of Douglas; two sisters-in-law, Annette Tucker Miles (husband, Clinton), of Albany, and Audrey Tucker, of Selma, Ala.; one brother-in-law, Aaron Tucker, of Hartwell; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
After the passing of her husband in 1970, she worked at Memorial Hospital for many years, first as a receptionist and later as the assistant social worker. For almost 60 years, she was a member of Winona Park United Methodist Church where she served in numerous capacities. She especially enjoyed being a youth director when her children were still in the Methodist Youth Fellowship, as decorating co-chairperson several times, attending and sometimes teaching in the Sunday School program and as an enthusiastic member of the church’s Sojourners group.
She was an avid member of the Winona Park and Ware County Homemakers Clubs. She often served as an officer and worked on projects such as the fair booths and judging fair items. She attended state conventions and received awards for the fashion reviews. She was in charge of the “Woman of the Year” recipient for several years. She enjoyed crafts such as quilting and making special Christmas gifts for her grandchildren.
Her four daughters would like to publicly express deep appreciation to the excellent nursing and support staff at Baptist Village Retirement Center for all their love and care for their mother over the past 20 months.
A funeral will be held 2 p.m. Friday at the Music Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive family and friends one hour prior to the service from 1 until 2 p.m.
Interment will follow in Oakland Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorial gifts be made to Winona Park United Methodist Church, 900 North Augusta Ave., Waycross, Ga. 31503.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online registry at www.musicfuneralhome.com

Ricky Wayne Naylor
Ricky Wayne Naylor, 52, of Blackshear, passed away Friday (Dec. 4, 2015) at Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross.
Born in Arcadia, Fla., Aug. 10, 1963, he lived in Arcadia for many years before moving to Pierce County in the late 1990s. He was a maintenance worker and will be remembered as being a great daddy and good-hearted person.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Sylvia Gayle Patton Blondell, and a brother, Timmy Naylor.
Survivors include his daughter, Kayla Naylor, of Offerman; his son, James Stephens, of Offerman; his father, Ed Blondell, of Arcadia, Fla.; his sister and brother-in-law, Angela and Mike Knowles, of Arcadia; a brother, Howard E. Horton, of Bryson City, N.C.; a sister-in-law, Brenda Boatright, of Offerman; his aunt, Charlene Cruce, of Palm Bay, Fla.; a special friend, Sarah Stephens, of Offerman; and several nieces, nephews and other relatives.
A graveside service will be held at 11 o’clock Tuesday morning at the Offerman Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the graveside one hour prior to the service.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online registry at www.pearsondial.com
Pearson-Dial Funeral Home, Inc. of Blackshear is in charge of the arrangements.

Alton McGauley
Alton McGauley, 73, affectionally known as “Duck” of Waycross, passed away Sunday (Dec. 6, 2015) at the Waycross Rehabilitation Center, 1910 Dorothy St., Waycross.
Friends and relatives are being received at the home of his sister Essie Hands, at 1238 Folks St., Waycross.
Other immediate relatives are two sisters, Vernelle Brown and Marie Daniels, both of Blackshear.
Funeral arrangements and a list of survives will be announced later by Rainge Memorial Chapel.

Allan Douglas Noel
A graveside service for Allan Douglas Noel, 56, was held Saturday morning at 11 o’clock at the Utah Cemetery.
Officiating was the Rev. David Unkle.
Active pallbearers were Keith Noel, Storm Noel, Allan Cheshire, Les Fullard, Scott Long and Bobby Crawford.
Military rites were conducted by the U.S. Navy Honor Detail from Albany.
Pearson-Dial Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Madge C. Albers
A funeral for Madge Crawford Albers took place Sunday afternoon in the Music Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Richard Johnson officiating.
Burial was in Kettle Creek Cemetery.
Serving as pallbearers were David Holland, Damon Holland, Brad Wolford, Austin Allen, Michael Hughes and Dusty Allen.

Robert H. Pearson
A funeral for Robert Harrell Pearson took place Saturday afternoon at Kettle Creek Church with the Rev. Danny Callahan officiating.
Burial took place in Greenwood Cemetery in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Arrangements were with Music Funeral Home.

Winford A. Popham
A funeral for Winford Ansel Popham took place Saturday morning at Kettle Creek Church with Pastor Bill Manning and Colonel Dan Russell Popham officiating.
Burial was in Kettle Creek Cemetery with military rites performed by a contingent from the U.S. Air Force, Moody Air Base, Valdosta.
Serving as pallbearers were Thomas Lewis, John Allen Jr., Eddie Hedgepath, Dan Popham, Mark Popham and Bill Kirton.
Arrangements were with Music Funeral Home.